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BUDDHA MENU
BUDDHA / TATHAGATA / JP = NYORAI
Buddhahood -- Those who have attained enlightenment.
The ultimate state for those practicing Buddhism.
Buddha = Past participle of Sanskrit Buddh, "to awaken, to know."
Buddha is not a personal name, but a term of praise, like messiah.
Tathagata is another honorific Sanskrit term for Buddha.
Tathagata is rendered Nyorai in Japan; terminology here.
For all practical purposes, the terms Buddha, Tathagata,
and Nyorai are synonymous in modern English usage.
Origin India
Last Update: March 30, 2007
Added Carving Techniques
BUDDHA LIST
Less Known Nyorai (Buddha) Not Listed Below
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IMPORTANT NOTE:
The Arhat (Theravada) & Bodhisattva (Mahayana) are
enlightened beings who will certainly achieve Buddhahood.
Theravada = Highest aspiration is to become an Arhat.
Theravada = Monastic life required to achieve Arhatship.
Mahayana = Highest goal is to become a Bodhisattva.
Mahayana = Even laity can become Bodhisattva.
Details Below About Arhat & Bodhisattva Distinction
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Buddha (Nyorai) = All Originated in India
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English
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Sanskrit
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Theme
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Shaka
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Gautama or
Siddhartha
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Historical Buddha; lived in India near Nepal approximately 561 to 483 BC; founder of Buddhism.
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Amida
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Amitabha
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Literally "Infinite Light / Life;" one of Japan's loftiest savior figures, especially with Jodo Sect; was Hozo Bosatsu in earlier life; two attendants Kannon and Seishi; one of the Five Buddha of Wisdom (Five Tathagatas); West; one of the four satellite deities guarding Dainichi in the Ryokai Mandala
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Yakushi
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Bhaisaya
Bhaisajya
Bhaishajya
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Literally "medicine teacher;" Buddha of Medicine; two bodhisattva attendants, Nikko & Gekko; commands 12 Yaksa
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Dainichi
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Vairocana
or
Maha-
vairocana
Tathagata
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Cosmic Buddha, Great Buddha, All-Encompassing Buddha; identified with Birushana Nyorai; messengers are the Myo-O; very important to Shingon and Tendai sects of Esoteric Buddhism, especially the Shingon school; central deity among the Five Buddha of Wisdom (Five Tathagata); represents center or zenith; central deity on Japanese mandara (mandala) of Shingon and Tendai sects
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Birushana
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Vairocana
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Big Buddha at Todai Temple in Nara; known as Dainichi in Esoteric Buddhism
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Miroku
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Maitreya
Also appears
as Bosatsu
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Buddha of Future; very important to Shingon sect of Esoteric Buddhism; appears only as a Bosatsu in the present age
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OTHER
NYORAI
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Ashuku
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Akshobhya
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Mirror-like wisdom; one of the Five Buddha of Wisdom (Five Tathagatas); one of the four satellite deities guarding Dainichi Nyorai in the Ryokai Mandala; East
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Fukujyoju
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Amogha-
siddha
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Wisdom that all karma requires for its completion; one of the Five Buddha of Wisdom (Five Tathagatas); one of the four satellite deities guarding Dainichi Nyorai in the Ryokai Mandala; North
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Hosho
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Ratnasam
-bhava
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Wisdom of distinction, wisdom of essential similarity; one of the Five Buddha of Wisdom (Five Tathagatas); one of the four satellite deities guarding Dainichi Nyorai in the Ryokai Mandala; South
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Sejizaio
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Lokeshvara-
raja
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From the Sutra of Immeasurable Life comes this story. Many eons ago there was a king who had the opportunity to listen to a sermon given by Buddha Lokeshvararaja. Upon hearing the sermon, the king made up his mind to renounce his palace life, and he became a monk called Dharmakara (Hozo Bosatsu), who makes 48 vows, fulfills them, and becomes Amida Nyorai
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Godai
Nyorai
Also
Gochi Nyorai
五智如来
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Click here
for details
on these five
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Godai Nyorai means "the Five Tathagata;" also called the Five Buddha of Wisdom.
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Other
Groups
AND
Before the
Historical
Buddha
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Sanzebutsu 三世仏
Buddhas of the Three Ages (Three Kalpa)
Skt. = Kalpa means aeon or age or era or cycle.
Sanze Jippou Shobutsu 三世十方諸仏
Buddhas of the Three Ages & Ten Directions
According to Mahayana traditions, there are countless Buddhas who exist in countless world-systems, each with its own Buddha. In Japan, these Buddhas are collectively known as the Sanze Jippou Shobutsu 三世十方諸仏, which literally means "Buddhas of the Three Ages (past, present and future) and Ten Directions (four cardinal points, four intermediate directions, zenith and nadir). The three kalpa ages, written in Chinese and Japanese, are the past (莊嚴), the present (賢), and the future (星宿). There is also a much larger grouping called Sanze Sanzen Butsu (三世三千佛), which literally means "three thousand Buddhas from the three kalpas," or alternatively, the "thousand Buddhas in each of the three kalpas of the past, the present, and the future."
Kako Shichibutsu 過去七仏
Seven Buddhas of the Past
The current Buddhist era is called the "Auspicious Aeon" (Jp = Kengou 賢劫; Skt = Bhadra-kalpa). According to Buddhist lore, there are six Buddhas who came prior to Shaka (the Historical Buddha), three from the prior kalpa (Jp = Shougun 莊嚴) and three in the current era (Jp = Kengou 賢劫). This group of seven is collectively known as the "Seven Buddhas of the Past." In Sanskrit, their names are:
- Vipasyin (past kalpa)
- Sikhin (past kalpa)
- Visvabhu (past kalpa)
- Krakucchanda (present cycle)
- Kanakamuni (present cycle)
- Kasyapa (Kassapa, Kashapa) (present cycle)
- Sakyamuni (present cycle)
Shibutsu 四仏 - Four Buddha of Current Age
Shihou Shibutsu 四方四仏 - 4 Buddhas of 4 Directions
In Japanese, their names are:
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Other Enlightened Beings
Bodhisattva (Mahayana) & Arhat (Theravada)
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MAHAYANA BUDDHISM
The highest goal of Mahayana practitioners is to become a Bodhisattva (Sanskrit). The equivalent Japanese term is Bosatsu. Those who attain the enlightened Bosatsu stage will certainly achieve Buddhahood, but for a time they renounce this ultimate state, vowing to remain on earth in various guises (reincarnations) to help all living beings achieve salvation.
Whereas Theravada stresses the monastic life -- the monk's life -- as the sole path to salvation (Arhatship), the Mahayana school says anyone, including laity, can attain enlightenment by practicing the Bodhisattva values. The Mahayana tradition thus includes numerous Bodhisattva saviors. It also includes numerous Buddha, with the Historical Buddha considered just one among many other Buddha.
Finally, the Bodhisattva concept was vigorously promoted and politicized by Mahayana adherents to differentiate it from the Theravada concept of Arhat. The Arhat is also an enlightened being, but according to Mahayana believers, the Arhat possesses an inferior, selfishly attained enlightenment, one based on "benefitting self." In contrast, the Bodhisattva are motivated entirely by compassion, by the desire to "benefit others."
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THERAVADA BUDDHISM
The highest goal of a Theravadin is to become an Arhat (Sanskrit), or perfected saint. The equivalent Japanese term is Rakan or Arakan. The first disciples of Shaka Nyorai (Historical Buddha) all achieved enlightenment, and became known as the Arhats. In many traditions, they were asked by Shaka to remain in the world to propagate Buddhist law (dharma). Like the Bodhisattva, the Arhat will certainly achieve Buddhahood.
In Theravada traditions, only those who practice the meditative monastic life (i.e., the monks) can attain spiritual perfection. Enlightenment is not thought possible for those living the secular life. Theravadins revere the Historical Buddha, but they do not pay homage to the numerous other Buddha and Bodhisattva worshiped by Mahayana followers.
Those who attain Arhatship have "slain" their greed, anger and delusions, and "destroyed" their karmic residue from previous lives. They have learned the teachings of Shaka Nyorai (Historical Buddha), earned the title of Mugaku ("nothing else to learn") and achieved the highest state attainable by Shaka's disciples. The Arhat (and Bodhisattva as well) are no longer reborn into the world of suffering, no longer trapped in the cycle of samsara (the cycle of rebirth and redeath, the six states of existence).
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There are two types of enlightened beings in Buddhist scriptures and iconography. In Japan, the two types are referred to as Nyorai (this page) and Bosatsu. Both types embody spiritual enlightenment and serve as guardians, teachers, and saviors to the faithful.
 BUDDHA/ TATHAGATA / NYORAI
The term "Buddha" -- past participle of Sanskrit buddh -- means to awaken or to know. Buddha is not a personal name, but a term of praise, like messiah or christ, the anointed one. Other terms besides Buddha are used to refer to fully enlighted beings. The ten honorary titles (ten epithets) of Buddha, for example, reflect the Mahayana idea that the Historical Buddha is just one among many Buddha. In Japan, the preferred title is Tathagata (Sanskrit), which is rendered in Japanese as "Nyorai."
For all practical purposes, the words Buddha, Tathagata, and Nyorai are synonymous in modern English usage. Each is an honorific title given to those who have attained enlightenment. Gautama, the Historical Buddha, is among the most widely recognized Nyorai in Japan and mainland Asia.
BOSATSU / BODHISATTVA. The second type of enlightened being is the Bosatsu (Bodhisattva) or Rakan (Arhat). The Bosatsu are associated with Mahayana Buddhism (the type most practiced in Japan), while the Rakan come from Theravadin traditions. One first becomes a Bodhisattva or Arhat before attaining Buddhahood. In Mahayana Buddhism (the type practiced in Japan), the Bosatsu is one who has reached the final stage of transmigration and awakening, just prior to becoming a Buddha. Those who become Bosatsu (or Arhat) will certainly achieve Buddhahood, but for a time, the Bosatsu renounce the blissful state of Nirvana (freedom from suffering), vowing to remain on earth in various guises (reincarnations) to help all living beings achieve salvation. Hozo Bosatsu, for example, after countless good deeds over countless years, becomes the Amida Nyorai. Please visit the Bosatsu Page for a listing of Japan's most revered Bosatsu. In artwork, the Bosatsu are often depicted as attendants to the Nyorai. Yet both types embody spiritual enlightenment and serve as guardians, teachers, and saviors to the faithful.
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32 Common Characteristics of Buddhist Deities
The Nyorai are generally depicted with hair (round curls on their heads), elongated ears, a bump on top of their head, and a boss (third eye) in the forehead. Nyorai are all-hearing (the elongated ears), all-knowing (the bump of knowledge on top of head), and all-seeing (the third eye). Nyorai are sometimes shown with webbed fingers (Mammo-so in Japanese). The latter imagery represents "scooping up" people -- not letting them slip through the web -- and thus represents the desire to save as many people as possible. For a listing of the 32 major marks of a Buddha, and the 80 minor features, please click here.
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Image from the
Sho Eko Ho Kuan
(book used by Jodo Sect)
Courtesy sacred-texts.com/
shi/igj/igj09.htm
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Below Text Courtesy of:
http://www.miho.or.jp
Over time, the Historical Buddha was portrayed with superhuman attributes, and the idea developed that he had certain physical features different from those of ordinary humans. Eventually 32 major signs (lakshanas) and 80 minor characteristics (vyanjanas) were described as distinguishing the physical form of the Buddha, though different texts (sutras) vary in the nature of these signs. Such signs, for example, include his soles being flat and marked with auspicious symbols <end excerpt>.
Specifically, statues of the Nyorai are nearly always depicted with one or more of the 32 physical marks associated with the actual appearance of the Historical Buddha (set forth in early Theravada scriptures). There are also 80 smaller characteristics (click here for these 80 smaller markings). Among the 32 major marks, some of the most widely known are shown below (diagram also includes a few terms not related to the 32 markings):
KEY TO ABOVE DIAGRAM:
 Nikkei in Japanese (Sanskrit Ushinisha); the Bump of Knowledge; the uppermost bump of the head, which symbolizes spiritual wisdom; also said to represent accumulated wisdom.
 Nikkeishu. The Nikkei Jewel, which radiates the light of wisdom, is located at the base of the Nikkei. In Buddhist statuary, a small circle is typically carved here, or a circular crystal placed here. The Nikkeishu is sometimes painted red. In the Lotus Treasury World  , a pure land described in the Flower Garland Sutra and Brahma Net Sutra, an infinite number of Kebutsu (lit. "transformed Buddha") emanate from the Nikkei jewel. The Kebutsu  represent the infinite transformations (manifestations, forms, different bodies) in which the Buddhist deities appear to save sentient beings. Another Japanese term for Nikkei jewel: 
- Rahotsu (Japanese). Hair on head in small spiral curls; supposedly represents the stubble left on Prince Siddhartha's head after he cut off his hair; according to one legend, he pulled his hair together into a top knot and chopped it off; it apparently went into fine curls (spiraling to the right), and never needed cutting again. Statues of the Amida Nyorai are said to contain 656 curls, a specific characteristic of that deity.
 Byakugo in Japanese = (Sanskrit Urna); boss, or all-seeing third eye, in middle of forehead; symbolic third eye (spiritual eye), which appears on all statues of the Buddha (Nyorai); legend says the Historical Buddha had one strand of white hair (which curled to the right) in the center of his forehead, from which emitted rays of light to enlighten the world. In sculpture, the Byakugo is usually represented with a crystal or other valued gem. There are many stories. In one, the Historical Buddha has just entered into deep meditation after expounding the Muryogi-kyo (Sutra of Infinite Meaning) to a gathering of followers. At exactly that moment, flowers fell from heaven and other auspicious signs occurred; those present, gazing upon him, saw a ray of light spring forth from his forehead, illuminating the 18,000 worlds to the east. The Urna is a traditional marking still worn by Indian women today (gem set in middle of forehead); some traditions call it the sixth chakra (center of energy, wheel of light).
- Three creases in the neck. Not sure about this symbolism. Needs further research.
- Robe stitched together from rags, in manner prescribed for early monks.
- Mudra. There are five basic hand positions, each corresponding to five defining episodes in the life of the Historical Buddha (see Mudra page for details).
- Mandorla. Stylized representation of the magnificent light radiating from the Buddha. The word for halo in Japanese is Kohai
 -- not sure if this is the light of wisdom or of compassion or of something else.
- Leg Positioning. Here we see the cross-legged meditation pose called the Lotus Position, one of three basic poses. Like the lotus, which grows out of the mud at the bottom of a pond, the Buddha is an enlightened being who "grew" out of the "mud" of the material world. Click here for a few more details on the lotus flower, or click here for a diagram of the three basic poses of most statues of the Buddha (Nyorai) and Bodhisattva (Bosatsu).
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The earliest Buddha sculptures were brought over to Japan from Korea and China in the 6th and 7th centuries AD, or they were made by foreign artisans residing in Japan at the time. The style of these early Nyorai sculptures is often abstract - they often appear skinny or disproportional (not realistic). To some, this emphasizes their divinity and superhuman status. In the centuries that followed, however, the Japanese created their own style of realism, and today the statues carved by Japanese artisans in the Nara, Heian and Kamakura periods are perhaps the very "pinnacle" of Buddhist sculpture from the old world.
Transmigration of Souls and Reincarnation
Unlike the teachings of Theravada Buddhism, the Mahayana teachings incorporate countless manifestations of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. To Buddhists, the transmigration of souls from one creature to another has continued unabated for aeons. Those reaching full enlightenment are few, for the path to awakening is long and arduous. But the path is not closed, and in any period, one or more -- or none at all -- may appear. It is said that Gautama (Siddhartha, Shaka, the historical Buddha) did not attain enlightenment in one life time, but rather struggled over many lives and through numerous incarnations to finally become a Bodhi-being. In some Buddhist traditions, the term Bodhisattva actually refers to Gautama Buddha prior to his enlightenment -- including the countless lives he passed through en route to Buddhahood. These earlier lives are called the Jatakas (birth stories), and they are a very frequent subject of Buddhist lore and art.
Six States of Existence (Transmigration, Reincarnation)
All sentient beings are trapped in the cycle of suffering (Sanskrit = samsara), the cycle of death and rebirth, unless they can break free by achieving enlightenment. There are six states in the cycle. The lowest three states are called the three evil paths, or three bad states. They are (1) people in hells; (2) hungry ghosts; (3) animals. The highest three states are (4) Asuras; (5) Humans; (6) Devas. To escape from the cycle, one must either (1) achieve Buddhahood in one's life, or (2) be reborn in Amida Nyorai's Western Pure Land, practice there, and achive enlightenment there. Those reborn in the Pure Land are no longer trapped in the cycle of birth and death (samsara), and can thus devote all their efforts to attaining enlightenment. For more details, please visit the Six States of Existence page. Technically speaking, the road from hell to Buddhahood covers ten stages, not six.
The Sacred Lotus ("hasu" in Japanese)
Early on in Buddhist history, the Shaka Nyorai is pictured seated on a lotus with four petals, representing the four great countries of Asia (India, China, Central Asia, and Iran) of the time. The lotus, moreover, is a symbol of purity. Although a beautiful flower, the lotus grows out of the mud at the bottom of a pond. The Buddha is an enlightened being who "grew" out of the "mud" of the material world. Like the lotus, the Buddha is beautiful and pure even though he existed in the material world. The "lotus" seat, moreover, is used very often in sculptures of the various Buddha (Nyorai) and Bosatsu (Bodhisattva), as is the lotus stem with flower, often shown held in the hands of the various deities.
Distinguishing Between Nyorai and Bosatsu Sculpture
There are some basic guidelines to help distinguish between the two types. Nyorai nearly always wear simple monk's robes, without jewelry or ornamentation. In contrast, sculptures of the Bosatsu are generally ornate. Often shown wearing jewelry and princely clothes, the Bosatsu can also be recognized (sometimes) by the objects they carry and the creatures they ride. There are many exceptions to the guidelines, mind you. Jizo Bosatsu, for example, is nearly always depicted wearing a simple monk's robe, while the historical Buddha (Shaka Nyorai) is sometimes shown with an ornate head piece, while images of Dainichi Nyorai are often wearing a crown and jewels. But don't worry too much about rules that don't always work. Despite inconsistencies, the guidelines can go far in enhancing your experience and understanding.
The Nyorai can also be distinguished by their hand positions, or mudra. Even though this method doesn't always work, it is still a sound strategy for identifying Buddhist artwork. For a review of the most common Mudra, please visit the Mudra (hand gestures) Page.
 Five Buddha of Wisdom
Gochi Nyorai 五智如来
Especially important to the Shingon Sect of Esoteric Buddhsim, the Five Great Buddha of Wisdom (the Five Buddha of Meditation, the Five Jina, the Five Tathagatas, the Gochi Nyorai in Japanese) are eminations of the absolute Buddha. They appear frequently on the Japanese Ryokai Mandala. They embody five fundamental wisdoms -- wisdom against anger, envy, desire, ignorance, and pride -- to help us break free from the cycle of death and rebirth (Skt. samsara). Each of the five Buddha has a specific mudra (hand gesture) that corresponds to five defining episodes in the life of the historical Buddha (see Mudra page for details). Each of the five is also associated with a direction (north, south, east, west, center/zenith). The Bosatsu (Bodhisattva) often wear crowns that bear an effigy of their "spiritual father" -- i.e., one of the Five Buddha of Wisdom. The five are:
- Dainichi Nyorai (Skt. = Vairocana / Mahavairocana) | Center
- Fukuujouju Nyorai 不空成就 (Skt. = Amoghasiddhi) | North
- Houshou Nyorai 宝生 (Skt. = Ratnasambhava) | South
- Ashuku Nyorai (Skt. = Akshobhya) | East
- Amida Nyorai (Skt. = Amitabha) | West
NOTE: In Japan, these Five Buddha (Jp. = Gobutsu 五仏) appear regularly in the Kongoukai Mandala (Diamond World Mandara, 金剛界曼荼, Skt. = Vajradhatu) and Taizoukai Mandala (Womb World or Matrix Mandara, 胎蔵曼荼羅, Skt. = Garbhadhatu). The Kongoukai Mandala represents the Cosmic Buddha (aka Dainichi Nyorai), and is associated with transcendental wisdom (static, crystal clear, and adamantine truth). The Taizoukai Mandala represents the world of physical phenomenon (physical manifestations of truth) and is associated with ultimate principles (Jp. = Ri, 理). Each of the Five Buddhas represents one of the Five Wisdoms (Jp. = Gochi 五智), hence their name (Five Buddha of Wisdom, Jp. = Gochi Nyorai, 五智如来). Click here for details about all five (Gochi Nyorai)
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Historical Notes on Buddhist Iconography
Buddhist iconography and artwork first came to Japan via mainland Asia in the Asuka Period (approx. 538 - 710 AD), with the earliest sculptures mostly imported from Korea then China. In subsequent years, as the Japanese made their own sculptures, the resulting pieces looked almost identical to their Chinese and Korean counterparts. Buddha statues in those early years, for example, are extremely skinny. However, by the Kamakura Era (1186 to 1316 AD), the Japanese were lending their own artistic and spiritual interpretation to Buddhist artwork, and a sense of realism takes hold. Sculptures of the Kamakura Period are renown for their realism and lifelike proportions. Artists of that era also began using quartz crystals for the eyes, making the Buddha face appear almost alive. For the first time ever, Kamakura artists began carving various deities nude, such as Jizo and Benzaiten. Lifelike portrait paintings of founding masters and important monks, especially among the Zen sects, became popular as well during the Kamakura era.
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Yakushi Nyorai
Kamakura Era head,
Edo Era body
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Carving Techniques in Japan
A major carving technique introduced in the later half of the 10th century was yosegi-zukuri 寄木造. Up until then, statues were carved from a solid block of wood using a technique called ichiboku-zukuri 一本造. The new yosegi-zukuri technique reached its apogee with Unkei (1148 - 1223 AD), one of Japan's most highly acclaimed sculptors. Instead of using one solid piece of wood, Unkei and his team carved the statue in a piecemeal fashion from partially hollow blocks of wood. First, the individual body parts were carved roughly and separately. Second, the pieces were assembled, and only then, thirdly, did detailed carving begin.
This new method had various advantages. Not only was it faster, allowing several artists to work in tandem on different parts, but also the final sculpture was much lighter than one carved from a single block of wood. And, in the centuries that followed, the prefabricated nature of the individual body parts allowed temples to quickly repair or replace damaged or destroyed body parts -- e.g., placing the undamaged head of an older statue (whose body was ruined by fire or earthquake) onto another statue whose body was still in good repair.
 Some Japanese sources say the yosegi-zukuri 寄木造 method was introduced in the later half of the 10th century, due primarily to the lack of large trees and a growing creative impulse to create gigantic statues of the Nyorai and Bosatsu. Others say the technique stems from Jocho, the great Buddhist sculptor (died 1057AD) who is credited with the outstanding Bosatsu on Clouds and Amida statue found at Byodo-in Temple. For more details on carving techniques and Jocho, please see Bosatsu on Clouds.
 Single-block carvings are also known as natabori 鉈彫 (literally "hatchet carving"), but they are differentiated from ichiboku-zukuri carvings by the characteristic round chisel (nata 鉈) markings left on the statue's surface. Natabori images are rough-cut (arabori 荒彫) or fine-cut (kozukuri 小造り) without undergoing the finishing (shiage 仕上げ) process, and for this reason, some Japanese claim that natabori are unfinished works, while others claim that natabori statues are a unique sculptural style. In the Edo Period, two wandering artists of great fame revived this technique. They were the Buddhist priest Enkuu (Enku) 円空 (1632-1695) and the Zen priest Mokujiki Myouman 木食明満 (1718-1810). Nearly all of their extant pieces were carved from a single block of wood, including the pedestals, and were not hollowed out. This gives their pieces a freshness that is completely different from the refined works of traditional Buddhist sculpture.
Mythical Home of Shaka Nyorai
Mt. Shumisen (Mt. Sumeru, Mt. Meru) is the mythical home of Shakya Nyorai (the historical Buddha). According to Buddhist lore, Mt. Sumeru is located at the center of the world, surrounded by eight mountain ranges, and in the ocean between the 7th and 8th there are four continents inhabited by humans. These four continents are protected by the Shitenno, with each leading an army of supernatural creatures to keep the fighting demons (Ashuras) at bay. On the top of Mt. Sumeru is the heavenly palace of Shakya Nyorai, and the abode of the Trayastrimsha (33 Gods) ruled by Taishakuten.
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Definitions of fundamental Buddhist concepts and terminology can be found on the Terminology page. For example, the terms Buddha, Tathagata, Nyorai, Butsu, and Hotoke are, for all practical purposes, synonymous in modern English usage. The terms enlightenment, nirvana, emancipation, and satori are likewise synonymous in modern English usage. These and other terms are discussed in detail on the Terminology page.
For a guide to the basic teachings of the Historical Buddha, plus Japanese spellings for dozens of terms, please click here.
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